The Artist Time Capsule

Russ Ramsey pointed out that Vincent wrote a letter to Theo, back in the day, about two hundred years ago it was, noticing that cab-horses in Paris have big, beautiful heart-broken eyes. But going back in time even further than that, back to the original source of western literature and Judeo-Christian legacy, Moses took on an inspired glow, actualizing the principle that true glory is more than we, as mere men, can bear. From Ur to Egypt to Mount Moriah to Canaan & beyond. . .\. to Athens and Rome and Paris and London and New York and Los Angeles and to the edges of the civilized world, we notice that true artists carefully arrange, throughout their work, whether with paint, piano, or pen. . . they arrange vignettes that lead the viewer's attention, or the listener's attention, or the reader's attention to a story being presented. And we notice that we, people made in the image of our Creator. . . we are, by nature, creative beings. The cold, hard truth is that beauty and profundity arise from the train-wreck of life, probably more-so than the a walk in the park. Faith is born from this life of disruption, disappointment and even despair. Hope must rise in the darkest dark of night. So much beauty is born out of suffering. Like Simon Peter during the trial of Jesus, deep regrets can contribute to the deepest achievements in this earthly life. As Napolean had absconded Mona Lisa for a time, eventually he saw the light and restored her to the public realm. A century later, soldiers smuggled her out of Paris so that hitler would not get a hold of her. When the artist prolongs his inspiration by adopting a new approach to creation, the critics don't generally understand, like when Dylan went electric, back in the day. It's like when JMW Turner turned the eyes of English art from classical art to modern impressionism. He was charinting a new path that would ultimately lead to modern art, instead of the ancient imagery. Forging new paths, laying new tracks toward progress and history. . .

When Dylan turned from what he was to what he was becoming in Christ, his former promoters just didn't get it. They said "don't come no more, so Dylan took a slow train to muscle shoals where he find musicians whose relative faith and unjaded innocence, along with their down-south musical excellence, provided for born-again Bob an opportunity to transform his life purpose in a new direction that would glorify the Lord Creator of the Universe instead of the mammon of mainstream blahblah. And so Bob sang, even as Moses, or Isaiah, or Daniel or Peter or Paul or Mary might have expressed it. . . "So I walk out on my own, a thousand miles from home, but i don't feel alone, because i believe in you." And whether you like it or not, whether you notice it or not, every person will have to serve somebody in order to to make progress in their own personal path toward fulfillment, satisfaction. "It may be the devil, or may be the Lord",  And as Ernest had noticed back in the day . . . two roads diverged, and he had to choose one in order to move forward. He chose the one less traveled, an that made all the difference. Reading between the lines always did have its advantages.  Glass half-Full